Harvest Pear Crisp

Ingredients ( 8 servings)

6 cups Anjou or Bartlett pears, cored and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 3 pounds) 

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1/3 cup regular oats

1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine pears and lemon juice in a 2-quart baking dish; toss gently to coat. Combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; stir with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture to pear mixture; toss well to coat.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until combined. Add chilled butter; pulse 6 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add oats and walnuts; pulse 2 times. Sprinkle flour mixture evenly over pear mixture.

Bake at 375° for 40 minutes or until pears are tender and topping is golden brown. Cool 20 minutes on a wire rack; serve warm or at room temperature

Recipes found at:http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/harvest-pear-crisp-10000000344091/

Mushroom-Leek Pizza

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 sliced leek
• 1 sliced garlic clove
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms (5 ounces)
• Coarse salt
• 2 pitas
• 4 tablespoons ricotta
• Red-pepper flakes

Directions

1. Set oven to 425 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add leek and garlic and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add mushrooms, and cook about 2 minutes more. Season with salt. Place pitas on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread each with 2 tablespoons ricotta, drizzle with olive oil, and top with vegetables. Bake until the pita is golden and cheese begins to melt, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with red-pepper flakes.

Cilantro Serrano Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 3 serrano chile peppers, seeded and chopped     
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste  

Directions

1. Place cilantro, serrano peppers, garlic, mayonnaise, and cream into a blender; season with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth, about 15 seconds.  

Recipe found at: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cilantro-serrano-cream-sauce/detail.aspx

Cucumber-Basil Puree

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 cucumber (peeled and seeded)
• 1/4 cup torn basil
• Coarse salt

Directions

1. Combine water, cucumber, basil, and salt in a blender and freeze in an ice-cube tray.

Fresh Orange and Yogurt Tart

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• Coarse salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin (from a 1/4-ounce packet)
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt (2 percent)
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 3 medium navel oranges          

Directions

1. In a food processor, pulse almonds, granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until finely ground. Add flour; pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture is crumbly and holds together when squeezed. Press crumbs in bottom and up side of an 8-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Freeze 15 minutes. (To store, cover and freeze, up to 1 month.)
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crust is golden brown and set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes, then remove tart ring and let cool completely.
3. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water and let stand 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, warm half-and-half over medium. When it begins to steam, add gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved, about 1 minute. In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, brown sugar, and pinch of salt. Stir warm half-and-half mixture into yogurt mixture. Pour filling into cooled tart shell and refrigerate until set, 2 hours (or up to 1 day).
4. With a sharp paring knife, slice off ends of oranges. Following curve of fruit, cut away peel, removing as much white pith as possible. Slice oranges into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and remove any seeds. Just before serving, arrange orange slices on top of tart.  

Reacipes found at: http://www.marthastewart.com/313264/fresh-orange-and-yogurt-tart?czone=food/produce-guide-cnt/produce-guide-winter&center=276955&gallery=286182&slide=182098

Chilled Avocado-Cucumber Soup

Ingredients

• 1 English cucumber, peeled and diced (1/4 cup reserved for garnish)
• 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced (1/4 cup reserved for garnish)
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish
• 1 scallion, white and pale-green parts only, coarsely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Puree ingredients in a blender. Divide soup and reserved cucumber and avocado among 4 bowls. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.
   
   
   Taken from: http://www.wholeliving.com/132892/chilled-avocado-cucumber-soup?center=136760&gallery=136699&slide=83821

Banana Bread Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter flavored shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 banana, peeled and mashed
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
•  
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract      

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together shortening and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, vanilla extract, and banana. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; blend thoroughly into the shortening mixture to make a sticky batter. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets.
3. Bake 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned.
4. In a medium bowl, blend butter, confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Adjust amount of milk as necessary to attain a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over warm cookies.      

Recipe found at: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Banana-Bread-Cookies/Detail.aspx

Corn, Fava Bean, and Cucumber Succotash

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh fava beans (from about 20 pods)
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons finely diced white onion
• 1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears)
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

Directions

1. Blanch the fava beans in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain well. When the beans are cool enough to handle, remove their skins. Set the beans aside.
2. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add the onion and cook until transparent but not brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Raise the heat to medium and add the cucumber. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until the cucumber is tender, about 6 minutes. If the onion begins to brown, add a tablespoon or two of water and continue cooking.
4. Add the corn and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the fava beans and bell pepper. Season and cook 2 minutes more, until tender. Stir in the tarragon and serve.

Fresh Apple-Celery Juice with Ginger and Parsley

Ingredients

• 2 celery ribs, cut into 3-inch lengths
• 1 Granny Smith apple—halved, cored and cut into large chunks
• One 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
• 1/2 medium bunch of parsley with stems
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice                  

Directions  

1. In an electric juicer, juice the celery with the apple, ginger and parsley. Stir in the lemon juice.    

Recipe found at: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/fresh-apple-celery-juice-with-ginger-and-parsley

Cool Cucumber and Dill Soup

Ingredients

• 3 cucumbers, 2 peeled, seeded, and chopped, and 1 coarsely chopped, for garnish
• 1 1/3 cups low-fat yogurt
• 1 1/3 cups low-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Directions

1. Process the cucumbers in a food processor until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to combine.
2. Chill the soup in the refrigerator until cold, about 1 hour.
3. Divide among 4 chilled soup bowls and garnish with the chopped cucumber.

Gemelli With Sausage, Swiss Chard, and Pine Nuts

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 pound Swiss chard, tough stems removed, leaves cut into thin strips
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound gemelli, or other short pasta
• 3/4 cup raisins, plumped in boiling water and drained
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions

1. In a large skillet, toast pine nuts over medium-high heat, shaking the pan to toast evenly, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from skillet.
2. In the same skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage, and cook, breaking it up with a fork, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add chard, garlic, and pepper; cook, tossing, until chard wilts, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover to keep warm.
3. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions, about 12 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot.
4. Add sausage mixture to pasta with 1/2 cup reserved cooking water, raisins, toasted pine nuts, and Parmesan; toss to combine. Add more cooking water if pasta seems dry. Serve with more Parmesan.

Swiss Chard Quiche

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 1/2 recipe Flaky Tart Dough
• 10 large eggs
• 2 cups creme fraiche
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
• 2 heaping cups torn Swiss chard leaves
• 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese
Directions
1. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough into a 16-inch round. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off any excess flour; fit dough into a 2-inch deep-dish tart pan with a removable bottom, gently pressing it into the sides. Using a sharp knife, trim the dough evenly with the edge of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap; chill tart shell until firm, about 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3. Line the tart dough with a sheet of parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Transfer to oven and bake until light brown, about 25 minutes. Remove weights and parchment paper and continue baking until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together 1 egg and flour on high speed until smooth. Add the remaining 9 eggs and continue mixing until well blended.
5. Place creme fraiche in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth; add milk and continue whisking until well combined. Add to mixer along with salt, pepper, and thyme; mix until well combined. Strain mixture into a large bowl through a fine mesh sieve.
6. Tightly pack Swiss chard leaves and cheese into prepared tart shell. Pour over egg mixture until tart shell is full (you may not need to use all of the egg mixture). Bake 20 minutes; reduce temperature to 325 degrees, and continue baking until filling is slightly firm, rather than liquid, and crust is a deep golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes more. Transfer quiche to a wire rack to cool until set, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. To reheat, cover quiche with aluminum foil and bake in an oven heated to 325 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Sauteed Swiss Chard with Orange

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 bunches Swiss chard (large stems removed), leaves cut into 1-inch strips
• Zest from 1 orange, cut into wide strips, plus juice
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add Swiss chard and orange zest. Cook, tossing frequently, until chard wilts, about 4 minutes. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper, then add juice of the orange; toss to coat.

Sauteed Swiss Chard with Raisins and Pine Nuts

Ingredients

• 2 bunches (about 1 1/2 pounds total) Swiss chard, stalks cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces, leaves torn into 2-inch pieces (keep stalks and leaves separate)
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

1. Wash chard, leaving some water clinging to stalks and leaves; set aside. In a large saucepan with a lid, toast the pine nuts over medium-high heat, shaking pan to brown evenly, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from pan; set aside.
2. In same saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Add stalks, and cook until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add leaves, raisins, and garlic. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until tender, 6 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Pull lid back slightly, and tilt pan to pour off water. Stir in vinegar and pine nuts; season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Cantaloupe and Avocado Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 4 teaspoons honey
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cantaloupe (3 pounds), quartered and seeded
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, and skinned
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, honey, oil, and salt; set aside.
2. Cut each cantaloupe quarter in half lengthwise. Run a knife between the flesh and the skin of the melon; discard skin. Slice each wedge lengthwise into 1/2-inch pieces.
3. Cut each avocado half again length-wise and then into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Add cantaloupe, avocado, and grape tomatoes to bowl with dressing and toss to coat. Divide among 4 plates.
   
   Taken from: Martha Stewart

Stone Fruits with Honey-Drizzled Soft Cheeses and Toasted Almonds

Yield Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup blanched whole almonds
• 2 tablespoons almond oil or extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, room temperature
• 4 ounces fresh ricotta cheese
• Assorted stone fruits, such as 2 sliced nectarines, 2 halved or whole small red or yellow plums, 16 white or red cherries
• 3 tablespoons wildflower or orange-blossom honey

Directions

1. Heat almonds and oil in a skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until almonds are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer almonds to a plate to cool; discard oil.
2. Stir together cheeses, then mound on a platter, making a small well in the center with the back of a spoon. Surround with fruits and toasted almonds. Drizzle honey into center of cheese. 

Shiitake Mushrooms and Brown Rice En Papillote

Long used for healing in Asia, meaty shiitakes are one of the best foods to eat for health, boasting a special combination of antioxidants that boost immune function and lower oxidative stress in the body. Try substituting mushrooms for meat in meals -- it slashes calories and improves your well-being without leaving you hungry, according to a study in the journal Appetite.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 4 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• Coarse salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup fresh greens
• Lemon wedges

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper, 12 by 16 inches each. Divide brown rice among each parchment piece. Top with mushrooms and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
2. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet until packet is puffed and mushrooms are cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with greens divided among plates and squeezed with lemon wedges.

Taken from: Martha Stewart

Baby Bok Choy with Chile, Garlic, and Ginger

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 red jalapeno chile, seeded (optional) and thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1 piece (1 inch) fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 pound baby bok choy, cut in half lengthwise
• 3 tablespoons water
• Coarse salt

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook jalapeno, garlic, and ginger for 1 minute.
2. Add bok choy and water, and steam, tightly covered, until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Uncover, and cook until any remaining liquid evaporates. Season with salt. 

 

Taken from: Martha Stewart